Mango Languages

Travel Tuesday: Mango Goes Big, Y’all!

Though us Michiganders cannot complain about the winter this year (it has been the mildest winter that I can ever remember), the prospect of escaping the snow and heading towards the sun is enough to get us packing… quickly. Needless to say, we are quite looking forward to getting to Dallas, Texas this week for the American Library Association 2012 Midwinter Conference!

The office is going to seem pretty empty, as 14 Mangoes will be heading southwest to participate in the bi-annual conference. From Mango smoothies to giveaways to demonstrations to typical Mango insanity, our booth will be bustling. Be sure to stop by Booth #2253 and say “howdy” to our staff! We are looking forward to another exciting show.

Is anyone attending the show? Is this your first time at ALA Midwinter? What conferences/exhibitors are you most looking forward to seeing?

Travel Tuesday: Ringing In The New Year Right

Sawat dee pee mai! For those of you who don’t speak Thai (myself included), Happy New Year! I hope you all had a safe and joyful celebration, full of good people, good times, and good food (and drink)! I write to you from 32,000 feet in the air, a mere 2 hours into my 12 hour flight from Bangkok to Paris, where I will have an 8 hour layover, followed by another 7 hour flight back to Detroit. A small price to pay for the absolute trip of a lifetime I just experienced during my two weeks in Thailand. My cousins and I traveled to Bangkok, Petchaburi, Chiang Mai, and Mae Hong Son, doing virtually everything from riding elephants, to kayaking, to shopping, to visiting temples, to playing with tigers, to shopping, to eating amazing food, to shopping again. Needless to say, we had our fair share of awe-inspiring activities to keep us occupied.

It was a little weird to be away for the holidays. I must admit, hanging out in 90 degree weather on Christmas day is not something I am accustomed to (but something I could definitely deal with). Additionally, on New Year’s Eve, rather than the usual gathering of friends and family with fancy clothes and classy drinks, my cousins and I experienced something quite different in Chiang Mai. I had seen pictures of the lighting of the lanterns, but thought I had missed my chance to see it in person, seeing as Yi Peng (Floating Lantern Festival) occurs in November. I was thrilled to see lanterns being sold on nearly every street corner as we made our way to dinner. We learned that these lanterns are also a New Year’s Eve tradition. Each person that sends a lantern off into the sky is supposed to make a wish for the year to come. My cousins and I all took turns lighting our lanterns and sending them on their way, watching as they joined thousands of other glowing masses carrying the wishes of everyone on the ground below. It truly was a sight to be seen, and nothing I could capture with my personal camera. Though these professionals seemed to do a pretty good job.

Rather than listening to everyone’s New Year’s resolutions revolving around hitting the gym more, spending more time with friends, or learning a foreign language (a resolution I fully support, by the way), the Thai people are much more reserved, silently sending off their wishes for the new year into the sky.

At midnight, the lanterns were joined by a seemingly constant stream of fireworks ringing in the new year. Unfortunately, some of these lanterns quickly became casualties and fell into the river below (that can’t bode well for those New Year’s wishes, could it?), but for the most part, they floated out of harm’s way into that black abyss. We didn’t stick around Chiang Mai long enough to catch the after math of the lanterns making their way back to Thailand (as Sir Isaac Newtown said, what goes up must come down), but I have heard that it is a sight to see, as well.

I know that lighting the lanterns was a really special moment on the trip for my cousins and I, and I am so happy that we were able to be a part of something so different than from we were used to, especially because the tradition is laden with cultural relevance. It is something truly unique to have experienced and something I will never forget!

What is the most interesting New Year’s Eve tradition you have heard of around the world? Have you ever been able to participate?

The Gift of Giving

We, here at Mango Languages, have six key core values that we live by: integrity, entrepreneurial spirit, positive attitude, fundipline, innovation and quality. Our Marketing Communications Director and Co-Founder, Mike Teshuba, has added another one to the list, giving back.

Funof is an organization in Cali, Colombia, that is dedicated to getting working children off the street and back into school so that they can study and enjoy being kids.  These children, ranging in age from 7-15 years old, oftentimes work selling gum or fruit, washing windshield and peddling other various products and services on the streets.  They feel the need to work on the streets because either their families don’t have enough money to buy food and other basic necessities, or they don’t even have families to take care of them in the first place.  These children face many dangers on a daily basis, such as rape, getting hit in traffic, being exploited by drug dealers, child trafficking, etc.  If these children don’t get an education then they are highly likely to become the parents of children that will continue this vicious cycle.  This foundation has several centers in low income neighborhoods in Cali Colombia helping around 2,300 working children.

This holiday season, with the donation from Mango Languages, Mike, his family, and some awesome Mango fans were able to buy gifts for over 200 of these children. They were able to personally visit one of the centers to hand out gifts and food to about 150 of the kids.  The event went really well and the children were very appreciative of being able to have a gift for the holidays.

Check out this awesome video where Mike Teshuba describes what Funof is all about and see how Mango spread some holiday cheer to kids in Cali, Colombia.

Travel Tuesday: Traditions, Old & New

Another year has passed and the holidays are upon us yet again. Decorations, family, and food (lots and lots and lots of food) abound. It feels like we were just here, doesn’t it? It’s time for gatherings and reflecting on the past year. Despite our country of origin (or language we speak), one thing about the holidays remains the same: TRADITION (I think they say it better than I ever could). Whether you celebrate by going to a parade, watching “Elf”, or traveling to see family, it’s these traditions that we look forward to every year around this time. Coming from a large family, we always spend Christmas Eve with my dad’s family and Christmas day house hopping to visit all of my mom’s sisters and their families. Each Christmas night ends at our close family friends’ home, which is opened to everyone (literally everyone) looking to celebrate the holiday.  Besides my near comatose state after being force fed at six houses each Christmas (no complaining here, trust me. Nothing beats homemade Chaldean food), the feeling I remember most is looking forward to the traditions within the tradition. For instance, the day always begins with Auntie Samira’s pacha (a Chaldean dish made of tripe… breakfast of champions! Check out one of my favorite Facebook groups to learn more). As the day progresses, we always eat dessert at Auntie Ferial’s (cousin Jeanie’s famous sugar cookies) and see friends we probably haven’t seen since last Christmas at the end of the night at Auntie Lamia’s house. That night we head home, full, tired, and happy, thinking how far away next Christmas seems.

This year, however, things are going to be a little different. When my cousin Anthony’s job was transferred from Houston, Texas to Bangkok, Thailand for the year, my cousins and I knew this was an opportunity for the ultimate vacation. Figuring we would have the most time off around the holidays, we decided around May that we would be spending Christmas in Thailand, no matter what. Now mere days away from our trip, I’ve only just begun to think about how different the holidays are going to be this year. No Christmas mass (shh..don’t tell my mom!), no opening presents by the tree on Christmas morning, and no family visiting on Christmas Day. However, because of the traditions that have been instilled in us throughout the years, we are going to create our own makeshift Christmas. I made sure to get some small gifts for my cousins so we will still have presents to open and my cousin Jeff is even braving making a pot of harissa. This classic Chaldean porridge is as close to comfort food as it gets and we eat it every Christmas Eve at grandma’s. Though this Christmas will be anything but ordinary (with 90 degree weather, a trip to Tiger Kingdom, and massages… rough life, I know), we will still have a little piece of home halfway around the world, due to the traditions instilled in us our entire lives.

Here’s to creating new traditions! Happy Holidays to you and yours!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? If you have ever been away during the holidays, were you able to hold on to them in some way?

Travel Tuesday: Riding the Information Wave

Military Librarians met a few weeks ago from December 4-9 for the 55th annual Military Libraries Workshop, and Mango Languages was there “Riding the Information Wave.”

With temperatures at 70 degrees with plenty of sunshine, Norfolk, Virginia served as a lovely backdrop for the over 150 MLW attendees, and 44 major library industry vendors at the annual event.  Everywhere you looked, the town was beautifully decorated for the holiday season, from sculptured mermaids adorned with bow-tied wreaths to the lights along the harbor of Norfolk.

The successful MLW event kicked off with some pre conference sessions, including service meetings for all Military branch personnel on December 4th. Pre-conference sessions started on Monday, 5th December. The traditional welcome and vendor appreciation reception was held on the evening of Monday, 5 December.  Most of my focused time was spent discussing new products, technologies and services targeted for the Military Library user base.  The winners of the 2 Mango Languages door prizes were Cindy Shipley: United States Marines Corps (Mango Passport Gift Card), and Trevor Riley: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.  This year’s events included: DTIC boot camp, Veterans History Project workshop and presentation, offsite at the MacArthur Museum and Archives; presentations on information overload, managing your library’s managers, analysis of intelligence, Coast Guard mission and information resources and for a little “after hours” fun, a pub crawl, a ghost walk, and much, much more. The highlight of the workshop was a banquet held aboard the Spirit of Norfolk on Wednesday, 7th of December, with a jazz theme.

Mango enjoyed being a sponsor of this year’s MLD (Military Library Division of SLA) Board Meeting, and especially enjoyed meeting clients, new prospects and vendor colleagues in Norfolk, the cultural heart of the Hampton Roads region. We were also excited to give out our brand new Mango camo bags!

MLW 2011 is a team effort with representation from all military services and other communities within the division.  This year’s MLW hosts were the National Defense University and Joint Forces Staff College, both valued customers of Mango Languages.  Mango Languages supports peace-keeping efforts of all branches of the Military and Government Agencies worldwide.  Mango had such a blast in Norfolk, and we are anticipating seeing you all at MLW 2012!

Can you guess how many Foreign Languages are used by active duty members of the U.S. Military?

World Wednesday: The Andes, Machu Picchu, and Guinea Pigs

A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to visit a friend in Peru. This is the ideal situation for me. I get to visit friends and get the “local” tours, not just the very touristy sites. They know all the secrets of where to go and when and the places that are super special. I also got to practice my Spanish!

On this visit I got to fly into Lima, Peru, and spend some time seeing the sights and sounds. We drove around to see all the famous government buildings and palaces. I loved the architecture that is clearly influenced by the Spanish. We also checked out a few ruins and even a church with catacombs. My favorite part of Lima is the beach. We went to Mira Flores a few times and just relaxed. We did get to go to a few dance clubs where I practiced my best salsa moves.

After a few days we took a 21 hour bus ride through the gorgeous Andes mountains to Cusco. A city that has so many Incan ruins and historical treasures. This bus ride was truly unique. Here I am thinking that this will be a great way to see the actual country and go off the beaten path. First, I will say I am so glad that I did this, but it is not for the faint at heart. This huge bus travels some very interesting terrain. We drove through the Andes mountains and encountered many a switchback and some of the tiniest roads I have ever seen. Driving in Peru on a normal day is a white knuckle experience, but on a huge bus with small roads, it becomes even scarier! There are no guard rails and I truly believe that no one would have known something happened to us for days if we got into an accident or the bus died. What I did get to see was some of the clearest blue skies and the night sky bejeweled with so many stars it didn’t even look real. I did get to meet some locals and made a couple of friends along the way. There was even a guy on the bus playing the guitar and everyone was singing together.

I was so glad to arrive in Cusco in one piece. It is definitely a touristy town with lots of shopping and restaurants. Overall the food was so good. However, I was shocked to see an odd food choice on the menus…Something called “Cuy chactado.” I was very curious as I had never heard of this before. Well folks…it is guinea pig. Yep, the same kind of animal I had as a pet when I was five. There was no way I could bring myself to eat it. But…guess what? They say it tastes like chicken. Of course!

We finally made it to Machu Picchu, and I was awestruck by the scenery, the view, the amazing condition of the Incan ruins with functioning aqua ducts, and the just general peacefulness there. Truly a wonder of the world! I don’t think I have ever breathed cleaner air! It is pretty high up in altitude so you do have to take it easy!

I have to admit we took the two hour plane back to Lima…as one 21 hour bus ride was enough for this gringa! If you ever get a chance to travel to Peru and take in the sights, I highly recommend it! And if you have you been to Peru…How was your experience?

Travel Tuesday: Driving Across India in a Beat-Up Rickshaw

Today’s blog comes from Scott Brills, a world traveler and a close friend of Mango’s for years. In September, Scott and his friend Mike traversed 2,000 miles across India in a rickshaw to raise money that would provide clean water and polio vaccinations for children in India. Learn more about his journey here.

“What in the world have I gotten myself into?”

That was the first thing I thought of when I woke up in my cheap hotel room around 6:00AM. I had spent the last few days in Shillong, India—a medium-size city in the northeastern state of Maghalaya. I was there because I had signed up to drive a three-wheeled rickshaw 2,000 miles across the country for charity. Today was September the 11^th—launch day.

This wasn’t even close to my first time abroad—it wasn’t even my first time doing a crazy charity rally—but this time things were a bit different. First off, this was India, home to some of the craziest drivers and worst roads in the world. Second, neither I nor my rally buddy, Mike, had test-driven our rickshaw yet. Seems as though our vehicle was still in the shop—hopefully it would be ready in time to start the event in a few hours. It was going to be a steep learning curve.

Mike and I joined the rest of the participants at the start line. It had started to sprinkle out, and the clouds weren’t looking good. Thirty minutes later, right as we all headed out onto the unforgiving highway, a torrent of water opened up from the sky, washing away the dirt road and drenching us in the process. We caught up to some other rickshaws just as the rain subsided, just in time for the one in front of us to lose a wheel. It flew off as the team was driving, and the rickshaw leaned over to the left, sending a shower of sparks our way as the rear brakes made contact with the pavement. They just barely made it to the side of the road without tipping, and we, along with some other teams, helped them get the wheel back on, making sure it was tightened properly this time around.

The next five hours of driving down the mountain towards the city of Guwahati would be some of the most stressful of our lives. Needless to say, I learned how to pilot that rickshaw pretty quickly, and by the end of that tumultuous first day I considered myself a pro.

* * *

The next two and a half weeks would be filled with crazy experiences of all times: breaking down over a dozen times in one day, getting lost (every day), trying all manner of new foods (lamb brain anyone?), dodging cows sleeping in the middle of city streets, avoiding rickshaw-sized potholes, losing our registration and insurance documents, forging said documents to attempt re-entry into India, and driving the last leg of the journey in 2^nd gear the entire way.

The first few days were the toughest, but every day provided us with a new set of challenges that we had to take on if we were ever going to get to the finish line in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. After rebuilding our engine from scratch on day three, we were good to go as far as propulsion goes, but just about every day a new problem cropped up (the rickshaws weren’t in the best condition, to put it lightly). We pretty much totally relied on the kindness of strangers along the way, neither of us being rickshaw mechanics. Within minutes of breaking down we could count on someone to stop and offer assistance. Some could speak better English than others, but seeing as our Hindi (or whichever of India’s 22 major recognized languages was prevalent in the area) wasn’t quite up to par, it had to suffice. Regardless, through body language and bits of English alone we were always able to get by. We met a whole load of interesting characters along the way—some more helpful than others, some more wanting of a “tip” than others—but we were thankful to each and every one of them. We traveled quite a way, and saw many amazing things, but the people we met along the way were definitely the highlight of our journey.

Seventeen days later we completed the trip—two thousand miles or so from where we had started off. It had been one of the most difficult, strenuous adventures of ou

r lives, and we were both kind of glad that it was finished (and definitely ready for the post-trip to Thailand to unwind for a bit). One can only do so many twelve hour days in a ramshackle rickshaw in a row!

I’d love to return to India again someday, but next time I’m going as a tourist—not a rickshaw driver.

For a full recount of Scott’s rally across India check out his blog at www.rickshawrunguys.com

Have you ever had an extreme adventure like Scott’s in another country? What was the most challenging part? What was the most rewarding?

Feature Friday: Celebrating Veterans Day

The origin of Veterans Day dates back the end of World War I, which ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. The date was November 11th, 1918. The signing of an armistice agreement between Germany and the Allies marked the end of the First World War, known as the “great war” or the first “war to end all wars.” From then on, November 11th was referred to as Armistice Day and it became a day to commemorate the veterans who served in the war. Unfortunately, war continued beyond World War I and after World War II and the Korean War, President Eisenhower signed a bill drafted by Congress in 1954 to rename the day in honor of all fallen heroes, officially changing its name from “Armistice Day” to “Veterans Day.”

While Memorial Day typically focuses on those who gave their lives in service of their country, Veterans Day is more focused on thanking the living veterans of war. Over the years, Americans have chosen to serve for many reasons — during the Revolutionary War, to create a nation; in World War II, to save humanity from destruction; at various times, to help pay for college. Still, no matter the motivation, our men and women continue to give their all for our country.

Mango Languages salutes and supports both those active and veteran members of our military. Mango Languages is proud to help those serving our country with our 5 Mango Military courses. With customized content in Dari, Pashto, Levantine Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and Urdu, the conversations are critical to the success and safety of military members around the world. Knowing the importance of foreign language to the armed forces, our courses were designed to meet standards and criteria set by the federal government. Mango Military is most commonly offered via a military library, often allowing personnel and their dependents access to both Mango Basic and Complete foreign language courses.

So how can we continue to support our veterans? Thank them. Talk to them. Invite them to schools so they can share their experiences and teach our children that we all must take care of each other, on the battlefield and in life. It was Colin Powell who said: “Many people refer to the World War II generation as the greatest one, but we’ve had greatness in every single generation of Americans who have served.”

This year on Veterans Day, you can put out your flags, cheer the marchers at parades, and go to veteran tributes. But when you wake up the next day, November 12, remember that it’s still Veterans Day for our veterans–and it will be every day of their lives.

Portions of this blog are shared from Gen. Colin L. Powell’s essay, published in the Sunday edition, November 6, 2011, Parade magazine.

What are you doing today (and everyday) to honor our veterans?

Travel Tuesday: No Speak Americano

Obviously, as the crazed Mango fans that you all are, one of the most exciting parts of traveling to far off lands is the opportunity to utilize all that you have learned and practiced (from the comfort of your own home, using your MP3 player, or even on your iPhone). As someone who has lived abroad, the prospect of conversing with native speakers is just as terrifying as it is exhilarating. What if my accent is horrible? Do I use the formal or informal? Which verb tense do I use? These fears can prevent us from making the most of our travels and speaking the language of the land. It seems so easy to slip back into our English comfort zone. If there is one piece of advice I can give you, it’s DON’T DO IT!!! Some of my best travel experiences have occurred in countries where I only knew a few words (hello, thank you, goodbye, etc.). You don’t have to speak a language fluently to earn the respect of the locals. Merely making an effort with these simple greetings and gratitudes (no matter how horrible the accent) is enough to create a connection with someone.

Take it from Benny Lewis, a world traveler originally from Ireland who has a self-proclaimed “love affair with other countries and speaking foreign languages.” At the age of 21, Benny only spoke English. A mere 8 years later, he speaks English, French, Italian, Esperanto, Irish, Spanish, Portuguese and German fluently, and his newest venture is American Sign Language. His website chronicles his language learning and his travels, and he even has an awesome video where he uses all of the languages he speaks to give a tour of his apartment in Berlin. Impressionant, non?!

I actually discovered Benny’s site through a co-worker who thought it would be of interest to me, and she was right! One blog post I found particularly relevant is entitled “What will I talk about when my language level is so basic?” He brings up an awesome point that really makes you think about trying to use that foreign language you studied way back in high school: To be interesting, you have to be interested.

So what does this mean exactly? It means that to have a great conversation with someone, you don’t have to do all the talking. Crazy concept for us Americans, eh? Being able to ask questions and let someone else do the talking benefits you in two ways. Firstly, you really get to know the other person and discover the ways in which we, as humans, are all alike, despite our areas of origin. Also, it allows you to sit back and listen if you are not as comfortable with your speaking skills! He also addresses the common fear that locals will be upset if you speak the language incorrectly. While I can’t say this is 100% untrue, I can say that in my experience, it is almost NEVER the case. Definitely the exception and not the rule. Usually, they are thrilled that you are making an effort to preserve their language and culture.

I highly suggest checking out Benny’s site and taking a look around. He encompasses all that is Mango Languages and definitely lives out our core values. And next time you travel, I encourage you to use your language skills in any capacity that you can. I promise you will not be disappointed. If nothing else, at least be a little more understanding the next time someone from another country speaks to you in broken English. Pay it forward for the next time you are abroad and struggling while asking how to find the restroom.

Have you ever visited a country where you did not speak a word of the native language? How were you able to get around? Did you learn anything by the time you left?

Travel Tuesday: Bienvenidos a Little Village

This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting one of my very best friends Betsy in Chicago, where she recently moved for grad school. Of course it’s always great to visit friends, but discovering the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar place is always my favorite part of travel. And discover we did.

Betsy works with a non-profit organization called Enlace Chicago, which works to improve the quality of life for inhabitants of Little Village, a vibrant Mexican-American neighborhood on the city’s west side. Rich with language and culture (right up my alley, non?), Enlace strives to preserve the tight knit community and eradicate the neighborhood’s pain points through education, violence prevention, cultural enrichment, and economic development. I was lucky enough to be in town for a peace summit this weekend held in conjunction with another organization Ceasefire entitled “What’s Good in the Hood?” It was so awesome to see kids of all ages coming together for a common goal: peace. In addition to ending the violence, the summit also celebrated their Mexican roots. Through music, performances, and (my favorite) food, attendees were able to focus on the positive aspects of Little Village rather than solely on the negative. Because my life revolves around food, I have to mention the amazing homemade spread that greeted us. Authentic Mexican soup called pozole, tamales (red and green), salsa verde, and even a sweet cinnamon rice milk called horchata allowed people to sit down together, eat, and enjoy the atmosphere. No Taco Bell here, folks.

Just walking through the area on the way to the event, it is clear that the neighborhood is something special. From the Mexican markets to the taquerias to simply hearing Spanish spoken everywhere, you almost feel like you are in a village in Mexico. Though it is just a short subway ride away from the heart of Chicago, you are seemingly thousands of miles away. It really was inspiring to see an ethnic community working together to preserve their strong cultural roots in a positive way.

Who says you have to travel far away to indulge in a true cultural experience? Most of us have neighborhoods like Little Village within close proximity to our own homes. Here in Detroit we have Mexican Town, I have visited China Town in Washington, D.C., and Little Italy in New York City is just one of several cultural hubs in the booming metropolis. Don’t have the time or money to take a trip to Mexico? Hop on the subway or jump in your car and escape “America” for a few hours. You won’t be disappointed. And be sure to grab some Mexican candy before you head out! You can thank me later.

Do you have an area like Little Village near you? Tell us about an authentic cultural experience you have had there!